Farmers In Mumbai Plan Overnight March Before Showdown Tomorrow

Protesting farmers reach Mumbai, traffic woes loom

Deanna Wagner
|
12 March, 2018, 03:30

Among other things, the farmers are demanding a complete waiver of loans, implementation of M.S. Swaminathan Commission recommendations (which ensures fair remuneration), waiver of power bills and transfer of forest lands.

The farmers march from Nashik to Mumbai began on March 6. "We are sad that farmers have come all the way to protest", he said, adding that the government, which has met some earlier demands, will consider the fresh wish-list.

"We will accept the support of everyone who comes forward and expresses solidarity with us", said AIKS state unit secretary Ajit Nawale, who is leading the march from Nashik.

Nawle says riders put in by the Fadnavis government for loan waivers were just a means to deny farmers their due by tying them up in "terms and conditions".

On Friday night, senior Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde met leaders of the agitation and gave them party chief Uddhav Thackeray's message to support them.

Onion and tomato framer Vishnu Harak from Shivde village in Nashik district said about 20 farmers are planning to participate in the protest march from his village.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has called a meeting of officials on Monday to discuss issues plaguing farmers in Maharashtra.

Thackeray said the Shiv Sena stood "shoulder to shoulder" with farmers in their struggle.

Unmindful of the scorching heat, over 30,000 farmers reached Mumbai on Sunday with a series of demands including complete loan waiver.

The group will be gathering around the assembly on Monday to bring attention of the government to their demands.

In a letter to Modi, Tiwari, who has been working with the farmers, particularly in Vidarbha region for decades, seem to have come out in support of BJP leadership but blamed bureaucrats and administrative machinery for the crisis. I have left all my work to join the protest as I have no money now.

Political analysts say that BJP should take the growing resentment among people from Maharashtra, AP and some other parts of the country seriously and fulfill all the promises made during 2014 elections.

The advisory was issued keeping in view the farmers' scheduled protest outside the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Monday. "How can the government let billionaires like Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya (another fugitive) have gala time at foreign shores and farmers suffer because of increasing debts?" asked a protesting farmer.